Miniature rose plant named `POULdani`

ABSTRACT

A new bi-colored miniature rose plant which has abundant flowers and good keepability. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for year round production in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety ofminiature rose plant which was developed by artificially pollinating anunnamed seedling with an unnamed seedling. The two parents were crossedin the summer of 1993 and the resulting seed was sown in December, 1993in a controlled glasshouse environment. The new variety is named`POULdani`.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for commercialgreenhouse culture was to create a new and distinct variety with:

1. Uniform and abundant flowers with good keepability;

2. Attractive long lasting foliage and compact growth,

3. Year round flowering under glasshouse conditions;

4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots; and

5. Durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.

This combination of qualities was not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type and distinguish `POULdani` from allother varieties of which we are aware.

The seeds from the hybridization were planted in a controlledenvironment and evaluations were conducted on the resulting rose plants.`POULdani` was selected by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in theirrose development program in Fredensborg, Denmark in June of 1994.

Asexual reproduction of `POULdani` by cuttings and by traditionalbudding was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in August of1994. This initial and subsequent propagations have demonstrated thatthe characteristics of `POULdani` are true to type and are transmittedfrom one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, stems, and a plant of`POULdani`. Specifically illustrated in sheet 1:

1. Stem or entire plant showing branching and the attachment of leaves,buds, and peduncles;

2. Flower bud, partially opened bud, and open bloom;

3. Flower petals, detached;

4. Sepals, receptacle, and pedicel;

5. Flowering stem, as well as a stem exhibiting thorns; and

6. Leaves.

Specifically illustrated in sheet 2 is an entire blooming plant in a 10cm pot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of `POULdani`, as observed inits growth in glasshouses in Fredensborg, Denmark and in Half Moon Bay,Calif. and in field nursery in Applegate, Oreg. Descriptions were madefrom plants treated with growth regulators normally used in thegreenhouse production process. The growth regulator Paclobutrazol wasapplied at 30 ppm weekly for three weeks beginning at a plant age of 8weeks. The peduncle lengths mentioned may actually be shorter and thefoliage color several shades darker than on untreated specimens. Colorreferences are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London,England) Colour Chart, 1995.

Parents: Unnamed seedling and an unnamed seedling.

Classification:

Botanical.--Rosa hybrida.

Commercial.--Miniature.

Flower and Flower Bud

Blooming cycle: Recurrent.

Flower bud:

Size.--10-12 mm in length when petals are just beginning to crack open.

Bud form.--Ovoid.

Bud color.--Striped. 57 A of the Red-Purple Group and 155 B of the WhiteGroup as petals begin to unfurl.

Sepals.--R.H.S. 146 B of the Yellow-Green Group. Foliaceous appendageson three of the five sepals. These sepals can be longer than the otherswith feather-like appendages on the ends. Surfaces of sepals lightlypubescent.

Peduncle.--Surface: Smooth. Glabrous. Length: 15-35 mm average length.Color: R.H.S. 144 B of the Yellow-Green Group. Prickles: Few. Strength:Stiff, erect, slender.

Receptacle.--Surface: Smooth. Glabrous. Shape: Urn shaped. Size: Small 4mm×4 mm. Color: R.H.S. 144 A of the Yellow-Green Group.

Borne.--Commonly 2-4 buds per flowering stem.

Flower bloom:

Diameter.--Small. 30-35 mm. on average.

Form.--Upon opening, ovoid to globular. Completely open, form of top offlower is a flattened convex.

Petalage.--Double. Average range: 35 petals.

Color.--Novel striped coloration. Upon opening, the upper surface of thepetal is R.H.S. 57 A of the Red-Purple Group and 155 B of the WhiteGroup. After opening, the upper surface of the petal fades slightly toR.H.S. 57 B of the Red-Purple Group and 155 B of the White Group. Afterflower is open 5-7 days, color on petal fades to 57 C. The reverse sideof the petal is R.H.S. 57 C of the Red-Purple Group and R.H.S. 155 B ofthe White Group. Petal lacks basal spot.

Reflex.--Exterior petals are double reflexed. Interior petals can alsobe double reflexed.

Fragrance.--Very light to light.

Duration.--8-10 days as a cut flower and 11-14 days on the plant.

Reproductive organs:

Pollen.--Yellow Group 138. Present.

Anthers.--Regularly located around base. Abundant. Size: Medium. Color:Yellow Group 138.

Filaments.--Color: Green-White Group 157A.

Stigmas.--Superior in location to anthers.

Styles.--Color: Green-White Group 157A.

Plant

Plant growth: Bushy, vigorous, and compact. When grown as a 10 cm potplant, the average height of the plant itself is 15-18 cm and theaverage width is 18-22 cm. When grown as a nursery plant on its ownroots the average plant height is 30--35 cm and the average plant widthis 30-35 cm.

Stems:

Color.--Young wood: Between Green Group 139C and Green Group 139D. Olderwood: Green. R.H.S. 144 A of the Yellow-Green Group.

Thorns.--Incidence: Few thorns. Size: Average length: 2.5-3 mm. Color:Red Group 36B.

Plant foliage: Normal number of leaflets on average leaves: 5-7leaflets, with the most basal pair being significantly smaller.

Leaf size.--Small. 70 mm×45mm.

Abundance.--Average.

Color, mature foliage.--Upper leaf surface: Medium dark green. R.H.S.146 A to R.H.S. 146 B of the Yellow-Green Group. Lower leaf surface:Medium green. R.H.S. 147 C of the Yellow-Green Group.

Color, juvenile foliage.--Upper leaf surface: Yellow-Green Group 146A.Lower leaf surface: Yellow-Green Group 146C.

Plant leaves and leaflets:

Stipules.--Present. 8-10 mm long. Margins are lightly serrated and havea limited number of stiff hairs.

Petiole rachis.--Color: Yellow-Green Group 147 B. Underneath: Withprickles on leaves with 7 leaflets.

Edge.--Serrated.

Shape.--Leaflets are Ovate.

Leaflets.--Number: 5-7 leaflets, with the most basal pair beingsignificantly smaller.

Other.--Semi-glossy finish. Thin texture.

Disease resistance: Resistant to rust, mildew, black spot, and Botrytisunder normal growing conditions.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the miniatureclass, substantially as herein illustrated and described, as a distinctand novel rose variety due to its abundant uniquely striped flowers withgood keepability, attractive long lasting foliage and compact growth,year round flowering under glasshouse conditions, suitability forproduction from softwood cuttings in pots, and durable flowers andfoliage which make the variety suitable for distribution in the floralindustry.